A further improved variant of J-11B in the same class of American F/A-18E has been under development at 601/SAC as J-11D. It features a new AESA radar and FBW systems which are thought to be based those of J-16. New generation of AAMs can be carried including PL-10 and PL-15. More composite material was used in its wing and tail sections. It might also have a RAM coating in order to reduce the RCS but this has not been confirmed. The AESA radar was speculated to have been developed by the 14th Institute and was tested onboard a J-11B radar testbed in 2014. The first J-11D prototype (D1101) took off successfully from the SAC airfield on April 29, 2015, powered by two WS-10A engines. Its forward IRST/LR appears to have been offset to the starboard side of the windshield, suggesting an IFR probe was installed on the port side, an arrangement similar to that of J-15. It is possible the earlier J-11Bs could be upgraded to the D standard in the future.
